Luxury at a fraction of the cost
Deborah Cicurel speaks to Patric Gaudini of Affordable Luxury Travel, which provides bespoke travel for less
Deborah is a freelance journalist
From exotic food and wine tours to safari holidays, flying by private jet or enjoying six-star accommodation, you may be surprised to discover luxury doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag.
Affordable Luxury Travel is a Fitzrovia-based company specialising in highly discounted, tailor-made and bespoke travel itineraries to destinations around the globe.
Clients with budgets large and small can find everything from a luxury city break in Rome from under £250, to a six-star, super luxury round the world cruise, starting from £8,999.
The company, which has more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry, sets itself apart from its competitors by using a high level of technology, as well as making the most of its affiliations with airlines, hotels and ground handlers to cut out the “middle men” and save clients plenty of money.
Its experienced travel experts work closely with clients to tailor-make the perfect trip and work out the fine details of where to stay, where to go and how to get there.
They work with boutique properties as well as large hotel chains, and on all types of stays, from European breaks to far-flung destinations, and with commercial airlines in addition to private jets.
“As well as being part of the long established and successful Moresand Group, it has always been our intention to invest in our specialist travel consultants to work with the latest technology, providing an exceptional level of service and huge savings on all travel to all of our clients,” says Patric Gaudini, the firm’s head of luxury travel.
“We are a tour operator, not a typical travel agent, meaning we save our clients on average 30 percent, as we have strong alliances with all major airlines, as well as direct contracts with hotels and ground handlers worldwide.”
The company doesn’t limit itself by experiences, budgets or countries, meaning the options for unique holidays are endless – and its clients often come back for more.
“Our clients can request any type of unique travel experience, including staying in a yoga and detox retreat in Bali, a gastro food and wine tour in Peru, a wildlife safari holiday in Sri Lanka, hiring a private jet, or a five-night beach getaway to Dubai,” says Gaudini.
“We have a vast repeat client database, as retention of clientele has always been our priority.
“We appreciate that without our clients, we would not have a successful business,” he adds.
“Our products, marketing and pricing structure is geared towards a wide range of clients, as we try to fulfil the needs of every traveller.”
So which are the must-see destinations this year? According to Gaudini, there has been demand and growth for trips to South America, South East Asia, a few hidden European gems and cruises in general, but he adds that his team is constantly on the lookout for the next big trend.
“In our experience, trends can vary very quickly, which is why we have a product and destination team internally that researches and sources new and up-and-coming locations all year round,” he says.
“We have found that specialist holidays in particular are more in demand and will continue to grow.”
The company draws on its network around the world to prepare itineraries its clients will love.
“Our head office is based in Fitzrovia, central London, and the Moresand Group has around 600 employees globally, including offices in Sri Lanka, New York and Delhi,” says Gaudini.
“Every member of personnel is crucial to our entire operation running smoothly and the fact that we have a low turnover of staff is something to be proud of and speaks for itself.
“For me personally, I am extremely proud to be part of the Moresand family.
“My inspiration and mentor is PS Kang, founder and owner of Moresand, purely for his dedication, ambition and continuous support towards everyone in his organisation.”
Affordable Luxury Travel is confident that its team’s experience, attention to detail and in-depth knowledge of global destinations will keep clients coming back for more.
Confident of the company’s ability to provide the best for less, Gaudini even encourages his customers to do their own research.
“It is imperative that clients shop around and research before they
make a reservation with any company,” he says.
“We do have price guarantees; however, we want to make sure they don’t just take our word for it.
“Most importantly, we want our clients to have a great holiday and give positive feedback.”
• To find more Affordable Luxury Travel offers and packages, visit affordableluxurytravel.co.uk or call 020 3023 7776
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
